Itch magazine, the continent's most widely respected online creative journal, is pleased to call for fresh work from writers, poets and visual artists for selection for its 13th issue, and to announce the appointment of Elan Gamaker as full-time editor.

London-based writer and filmmaker Gamaker, joins the magazine to take up this important role. He explains that Itch, under the auspices of the School of Literature, Language and Media at the University of the Witwatersrand, has an increasingly global outlook.

"While our base remains South Africa, we encourage writers and visual artists from around the world to contribute to what is rapidly becoming the pre-eminent publication of its kind in Africa," says Gamaker. "This being said, it is important to us that we maintain our financial independence and editorial integrity. This is why, in spite of recent changes, we exist entirely thanks to the contributions of our readers."

Each issue of Itch is constructed through the selection of the best written and visual work submitted via the Itch website. The magazine aims to be free-thinking and user-driven and therefore contains no op-eds, reviews, blog entries and commissions.